Mach3 Alternatives

Mach3

Mach3 is very popular among the Hobby CNC community. Artsoft produces Mach3 software and has been around for some time. This software can be used as a fully functional CNC control or used as a CNC simulator for training, learning or testing CNC programs. This is also a great CNC control simulation software that you can install on your own PC computer. There are a couple tweaks to the configuration that you have to do before you can test it like modify the pinout configuration to bypass the emergency alarm that occurs on install, but that is about it.

Mach3 simulation allows you to test run all your CNC programs with the software and see how they run as well as look at a 3D view of the machining process or axis movements.

Mach3 is a PC based control that is most commonly used on lower end CNC machinery. Wood working CNC machines tend to use these controls extensively.

There is a free version that has some limitations but overall for CNC simulation the free version does what you need it to do. Tech support for Mach3 and previous versions like Mach2 and Mach1 is very good. Mach3 also has a great following and an extensive community of users throughout many CNC forums for further support needs.